In the drilling of oil wells, the use of mud in the operations of the drilling have been known for many years. The return of this mud from the hole where the drilling occurs includes cuttings and other materials that are not or were not part of the mud. In an oil based mud drilling operation, there are two liquids (diesel and water) that normally become waste and are environmentally hazardous. When drilling with oil based mud, the drilling rig must be washed with diesel in order not to contaminate the mud with water. The Triplex pumps normally used in such systems are cooled with water that mixes with the diesel from rig wash.
It is well known in the art that after mud cleaners have been applied to the cuttings, the cuttings are dumped in the disposal pit. Thus, unclaimed mud, diesel and other effluents from the well may be dumped into a pit with significant pollution. Mud cleaners usually are a large tub with an agitator where wash solution may be applied.
It is an object of the present invention to have a closed system with regard to the mud, water and diesel produced by the drilling operations so that they are separated from the cuttings produced in the drilling process and are not otherwise dumped into the environment as in the prior art.